Sharon agrees to peace road map with strings

Jerusalem: The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has approved the latest draft of the Middle East peace "road map" but the plan is conditional on Palestinian efforts to halt violence.

"We can live with it," Mr Sharon's spokesman, Colonel Raanan Gissin, said on Sunday.

"The Palestinians have to prove they are making 100 per cent effort in the fight against terrorism, without which the road map will not be implemented."

Colonel Gissin added that Israel will make its full response to the plan after general elections on January 28.

The plan, drawn up by United States, United Nations, European Union and Russian officials, sets out steps to end the 26-month conflict and create an independent Palestinian state by 2005.");document.write("

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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday rejected an appeal by reserve soldiers refusing to serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but avoided making a landmark ruling on the legality of Israel's occupation of the territories.

"Yesterday the objection was to [military engagement in] Lebanon, today it is to [the West Bank], tomorrow it will be to dismantling certain settlements," the court said, adding that members of the armed forces were obliged to serve wherever they were sent.

In other developments:

The Israeli parliament has begun proceedings to bar three Arab members and their parties from the election because of their support for Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation.